Roy Harper ‘Incredibly Angry’ After Being Acquitted of Indecent Assault

Roy Harper is a free man following his acquittal on charges of indecent assault in a widely publicized trial for sex abuse of a minor — but now he's faced with the economic and emotional cost of his ordeal.

Saying that the case against him "should never have gone as far as this, or taken so long to resolve," Harper has admitted that the trial took a huge toll on multiple levels. "The psychological and personal cost to my wife and myself has been enormous and the financial cost hugely unfair," he continued. "I lost my livelihood and I spent my savings ... and more, on my defense."

Harper, who saw the case against him fold after prosecutors conceded that "based on the strength of the evidence there is no longer a realistic prospect of a conviction," acknowledged that he was accused of a serious crime that points to "difficult issues at this time in this society," but he's left facing a serious uphill struggle to work his way back to financial health — and restore his reputation.

"Despite coming out of this without a blemish on my name, I cannot recoup my costs and that’s left me incredibly angry," said Harper. "I’m now going to restart my working life where I left off nearly three years ago. I’d like to thank everyone who’s continued to support me."

Harper has released 22 studio albums since 1966, with the most recent, Man and Myth, arriving in the weeks prior to the charges against him being filed in 2013.